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Kislev
Kislev is a country located to the north-east of the Empire and is separated from the Chaos Wastes to the north by the Troll Country. It is the most northerly civilised nation in the Old World. Its current ruler is the Tzarina Katarin the Ice Queen. Geography Kislev is the most northernest nation in the Old World, and the first bulwark against the Warriors of Chaos. The most northern part of the lands are open tundra and plains, which stretch out for miles. There, many great nomadic tribes of the Ungols and Roppsman live. Its closest and most important neighbor is The Empire, and although the Kislevites have little respect for their southern neighbors, thinking them weak, they are probably the most important ally to them, in both economic and miltary terms. The north of the country is barely distinguishable from the Troll Country and the tundra, although more wooded to the east in the foothills of the mountains. The lands are cold and infertile, and most who live there are nomads, moving from one grazing ground to another. The further south you go, the more hospitable the land gets, though it is still chill all year round. There is generally a shortage of carved stone so most buildings use uncarved stone or wood, although this is not true for the palaces. They are built with gold in onion-shaped domes and towers. Due to the unforgiving landscape, there are only three large cities, Erengrad, Praag, and the capital, Kislev. Cities There are three large cities in Kislev: Praag, Erengrad and the city of Kislev itself. Each city has its own distinct history and personality, and so, though they are all peopled by Kislevites, they each have a character of their own. Kislev The capital of the nation and seat of the Tzars and Tzarinas who rule the land, Kislev is the largest and most developed of the three cities. Situated close to the Urskoy, it is virtually on the border with the Empire, and many Imperial customs and aesthetic values have influenced Kislevan life, literature and architecture. Founded as the capital by the Khans and Khan-queens of the Gospodar people in Year 1 (IC 1524), it has been besieged several times in its history, though has never fallen to an enemy. At the centre of Kislev lies the Bokha Palaces, the hereditary seat of power rebuilt during the reign of Tzar Boris Bokha after the original Palace Gospodarin was all but destroyed during the Great War against Chaos in 778 (IC 2302). Erengrad Erengrad was originally the Ungol capital, when it was merely a walled town known as Norvard, and later overrun by the Gospodars. Erengrad is Kislev’s main trading city and its largest port. Situated on the coast of the Sea of Claws at the mouth of the Lynsk, vessels from across the Old World, New World and even Norsca come here with goods, slaves, gems and precious metals. Kislev does not have a standing navy as such, but the waters of the Sea of Claws are dangerous. As such all merchantmen are armed in some fashion and can be pressed into service by the Tzarina when needed. Praag Praag, also known as the Cursed City is the most northerly of Kislev’s largest settlements and has been overrun by the northern tribes several times. During the Great War against Chaos, the walls and buildings themselves became so corrupted with Chaos energy that they sprouted tentacles and eyes, the ground writhed and wails and screams echoed from the rooftops. After the victory of Magnus the Pious at the siege of Kislev, the Kislevites razed Praag to the ground and rebuilt it, though it is still rumoured that a taint of Chaos remains there. Praag has also served as a rallying point for the Ungols in times of war and contains a sizable Ungol population, attempting to secede on three occassions. History At the time of Sigmar, the harsh lands north-east of the Urskoy were populated by the Ungol tribes, who also dominated the smaller tribes of the Ropsmenn who lived in what is now Troll Country. Sharing many traits with the Kurgan steppe nomads to the east, the Ungols were a scattered peoples consisting of nomadic horse-riding tribesmen. Sigmar’s influence did not stretch this far north and they remained independent from the confederation of tribes founded by Sigmar.Circa 1500 Imperial Calendar, there was a large westward migration from the eastern steppes, and of particular importance was the arrival of the powerful and wealthy Gospodars. Torn with strife, the Empire was in no position to contest these lands, and the superior arms and tactics of the Gospodars drove the Ungols to the west and north, who in turn absorbed the Ropsmenn completely. Over the following century, the power of the Gospodars grew, and the city of Kislev was founded. The settlement of Praag grew in size as the Gospodars used the Lynsk to launch incursions into Ungol territory, eventually forcing the Ungol to accept Gospodar rule (who were now beginning to be called Kislevites after their capital city). By this time, the former Ungol city of Erengrad had grown into a busy port ruled by the Kislevites, and from here the Kislevites were able to sail the Sea of Claws, fighting with the Norse, and on occasion the Empire, as well as keeping the Ungols in check. This state of affairs has existed for over 750 years, and Gospodar and Ungol society has merged over the centuries, to a greater or lesser extent, into the nation of Kislev. The ruling elite, from whom the Tzars and Tzarinas hail, are of Gospodar heritage. The influence of the Gospodar language and beliefs is more evident in the south, particularly in the cities of Kislev and Erengrad, while further north the land becomes more barren and the horse tribes still hold sway. In fact, Praag itself has been reclaimed in a large part by the old Ungol nobility, and in many ways is a separate power in the north. Government Kislev ruled by powerful warrior-sorcerers who practice a unique kind of sorcery called Ice Magic. The ruler of Kislev is a Tzar who ascends to the throne through birthright, although they all originate from Gospodar heritage. Society Gospodar and Ungol culture remains largely distinct and in part serves to makes Kislev almost two nations in one. Kislev is also delineated between north and south. In the south, the culture and society of the Gospodars predominate, while to the north, where the lands are more barren, the horse tribes hold sway. Nobility The middle-ranking hereditary nobles of Kislev are known as boyarin. The Boyar subjects owe him their fealty in return for protection and support in times of war and famine. The boyarin are responsible for organizing the raising of militia troops from subject villages, as well as commanding armies. Boyarin are exclusively of Gospodar descent. Druzhina is the lowest rank of nobility among the Gospodars. Low ranking military officers tend to hold this title. Traditionally the title is hereditary, but is sometimes granted to individuals by a Tzar in recognition of great acts of service to the ruler or to Kislev. Military The Kislevites maintain small armies with a large number of mounted units. They make use of the various tribal warriors and create units that keep them separate so as to avoid inter-tribal warfare. They do have some of the fastest human cavalry in the Old World, the Ungol Horse Archers. Kislevite armies are formed from militia gathered from the scattered stanitsas and towns of the Kislev oblast. When Kislev comes under the threat of invasion, the various rotas ("squadrons" of Winged Lancer cavalry) of Kislev are drawn together into larger army groups called pulks. A single pulk is often enough to deal with minor threats, but when faced with large scale invasions, several pulks can be formed to oppose the enemy. The Tzar maintains a standing army of Kossars - disciplined Ungol and Gospodar foot soldiers who fight with a characteristic combination of axe and bow. At range they wear down the enemy with arrows, swiftly shifting to their axes to receive an enemy charge. They have been known as the thorn in the side of many Chaos invasion as their marksmenship and speed, makes it difficult for Chaos warriors to engage them directly, creating ambushes, and wear down tactics to slowly stall the armies advanced into major Kislev cities. Non-Warhammer Units The Kislev military has other units that are not seen in Warhammer. The following units are from the specialist games ranges. Knights, Bowmen, Axemen, Trained Bears and War Wagons from Warmaster Druzhina, Streltsi and Cossacks from Mordheim. Religion The Kislevites worship many different gods, although only a small number of major ones. The religion of Kislev is steeped in history, absorbing elements of the various different tribe, most importantly that of the Gospodars and Ungols. There are three major gods in Kislev: Ursun, Dazh, and Tor. These three are worshipped over most of the land. There are also several other gods worshipped, especially in the south, including Taal and Ulric. There is a regional difference between the north and south, the south being influenced by the religion of the Empire, while the north being influenced by the old Ungol tribes. Kislevites also worship many other small, nature and household spirits who help in daily lives or test them. Small offerings and tributes are followed in a near unthinking fashion to appease the needs of the many gods. Geographic Kislev is the most northerly civilised nation of the Old World. The northern border of the country is ill-defined, but many draw it at the River Lynsk, which flows westward from the Worlds Edge Mountains to the Sea of Claws, while its border with the Empire has been established at the River Urskoy (named after the god Ursun), a tributary of the River Talabec. The north of Kislev is barely distinguishable from the Troll Country and the tundra beyond, more wooded to the east in the foothills of the mountains. Some Kislev tribes travel further north than the Lynsk, into the Troll Country, and eastwards along the High Pass. It is a cold, infertile land, and most of the Kislevites who live here have a nomadic existence, moving constantly from one grazing ground to the next, much like the Marauder tribes of the Chaos Wastes. Praag is one of Kislev's three large cities.Added by PendrakoFurther south, Kislev becomes more hospitable, though still chill for the entire year. More farmsteads can flourish in these lands, though quarried stone is in short supply and so buildings tend to be of uncut rocks or wooden construction, giving them a rustic appearance which people of the Empire would consider backward and uncivilised. This is not so true of the mighty palaces and temples of the cities, with their distinctive gold, onion-shaped domes and Category:K Category:Kislev Category:Old World